Recommended Lenses For FS100

bgodoy

bgodoy

Active member
I'm considering renting some lenses for an upcoming shoot. Just wanted some recommendations on other possible options.

At this point I'm thinking of purchasing an adapter from MTF Services so I can use PL mount lenses (in this case, Zeiss CP2's) on the FS100.

Any thoughts? I would like to see if there are any cheaper solutions that are still reasonably sharp. Thanks in advanced.

-B
 
The basic advantages of using CP.2 lenses are uniform front and gear size when using a follow focus and matte box. To be very honest other less expensive lenses are just as sharp. Do you own any lenses now?
 
you might be better off just renting zeiss zf set over a cp2 set, same glass, different housing, much cheaper.
 
So are you asking about advice on purchased lenses or renting options too?

When you say a PL adaptor - thats usually heavy glass, you will need a plan for supporting that weight. I would think doc is almost removed from the table with PL and an FS100. One thing to grab for Doc is the kit lens - I just picked it up for some narrative work that had to move at lightspeed this week. the lens is OK- I havnt been over shots yet, but my gut said pretty good tool to have. Image stabilized and a pretty good autofocus. Autofocus on S35mm is nice- at times. I like my Tokina 11-16. Solid wide angle lens. I love my Leica primes and am looking for more. For me, if it's corporate its a zoom. If it's script, it's primes. For me the CP2's are more buck than bang. I'd look at ZF's for weight. Same glass. Or get canon L primes and save beaucoup.

Don't forget a good handle either ;)
 
Are the Zeiss ZF manual or auto aperture? Do the MTF adapters enable any auto features?? I am looking at some lenses at the moment, and really I don't know what I want, I know I am going to buy the Sony 18-200mm (kit lens) for all client based stuff, but I want some fast manual primes and zooms for my FS100, I am using Canon FDs at the moment, but want to try something different, maybe Zeiss is the way to go...?
 
From what I've read so far, ZF's are probably the way to go (over CP.2's).

The project is scripted and most of the shoot will consist of studio work, nonetheless, there is some outside work that is required for b-roll. I'm hesitant to what a good balance would be, as far as weight is concerned.

Let's say I went with the ZF's, what type of support system should I be interested in? I'm assuming I should look into another type of adapter as well or would Nikon or Canon glass suffice?

I guess to be specific, I'm aiming for some high quality lenses that don't introduce much edge blur, aberration, or vignetting. All in all, something that still produces a great image without being too costly or heavy.

Hopefully I'm not being too redundant and thanks for the responses thus far.
 
I'd take a long look at Canon L glass. It's light, superb optics and affordable. You'll need the birger mount tho, which is cool and expected soon. I went Leica cause I admire the build- and the optics are ok by me too ;) For full manual build look at Leica, nikon and zeiss ZF. Contax too are zeiss made or some of them are. Might want to go to Ken rockwell.com - pretty exhaustive lens reports. He likes tokina ATX zooms tho- worst lenses I've ever mounted ;) Il like my 11-16 alot tho. lenses are very delicate creatures and testing is really the way to go. Research is a good start- but thats all.
 
plasticam said:
I'd take a long look at Canon L glass. It's light, superb optics and affordable.
Click to expand...

I don't like this advice. Buying canon glass for your fs100 is silly. If you have canon glass already (which can be a very expensive investment) then it makes sense to wait for the birger mount (which could take another year to come out at this rate). But, if you don;t have any glass now, buy something you can actually use right now, which isn't canon L glass. If you want a really good 70-200 comparable to a canon L version, get the nikon 70-200 afd, just as good and the same price but you can actually use it on the fs100. Nikon makes amazing glass and EVERY lens they have uses this amazing glass, unlike canon that puts OK glass in most of their lenses then makes you pay more for an L lens.
 
I don't have a dog in this fight. bgodoy expressed cost as a factor. I recco'd several makes. I have used a lot of Canon L glass and find it
superior for the price. birger says they have a super solution coming out for Canon EOSon the FS100, they have proven to be a solid company for many years, I doubt they are shining us up. but this is up to bgodoy- I'm just trying to present ideas for her/him to consider. Canon is a legit option. Very legit to my eye.
 
plasticam said:
I don't have a dog in this fight. bgodoy expressed cost as a factor. I recco'd several makes. I have used a lot of Canon L glass and find it
superior for the price. birger says they have a super solution coming out for Canon EOSon the FS100, they have proven to be a solid company for many years, I doubt they are shining us up. but this is up to bgodoy- I'm just trying to present ideas for her/him to consider. Canon is a legit option. Very legit to my eye.
Click to expand...

Well, the degree of 'legitness' probably depends somewhat on the OP's timeline. To me it seems to be a 'less than legit' option if they need to shoot
something NOW. In that case, you'd be better off going Nikon, or even Sony A mount....which both let you control important things like iris.
That's why so many people have been impatient with Birger, they want the ability to use Canon lenses now! If you can wait, both Birger and
MTF are supposed to be coming out with adapters that will allow you to use the Canon glass and both look really nice.....but no firm timetables
about when they will be shipping. So, I guess I'd say the correct answer is.......it depends :-)
 
Yeah I agree Alaska. the poster said they are considering a future purchase, I did not recco Canon for a greenlit production starting right now. Someone called me "silly" for including canon in my list - we might oughta slow the roll on that ;)

This poster seems to want to discuss lensing "options" so Canon is a pretty major one. it's good to point out the delay with birger. EOS glass reverts to open iris position on a dumb mount and that's also worth considering. I think an L 50mm 1.2 prime is $3 or 400 new. It gives outstanding results. I didn't go Canon cause of mechanics. I like mechanical control - but that doesn't mean they are not a good fit for
bgodoy.

bgodoy I think this thread needs you at this point ;)
 
In term of options, I think the mount from Birger Engineering along with Canon glass is definitely worth it. However, my shoot is scheduled for sometime towards the middle of December and from what I've heard Birger does not plan to release their piece by then and unfortunately I need something more immediately available. I did a bit of research from the suggestions provided thus far (thanks guys) and there's definitely plenty of viable options out there but I'm afraid a couple of things have changed.

I just received further details on this particular shoot and it's going to require another camera. At this point, the FS100 will now be my B cam and I'm looking into using a Sony F3 as my main camera.

Since the F3 uses PL mount lenses would it safe to say it would be more cost effective to simply rent a set of CP.2's and purchase a PL adapter for the FS100 so they can both make use of the same lenses?
Or would I be better off getting separate lenses for separate cameras?

(I know, back to square one again.... thanks to everyone for all the recommendations, I'm still looking into them all by the way).
 
For my FS-100 I use the Zeiss/Sony Alpha mount 24-70 f2.8. This lens pretty much lives on the camera for just about everything. If a longer lens is needed I have a Zeiss ZF 85mm and 100mm macro as well as the kit lens 16-200. My Fs-100 is the little sister to my F3. So I wanted to put together a lens package that would keep the rental rate substantialy lower than the F3. By the time the FS100 is fitted with a PL adapter and the extra cost of PL glass then they might as well rent the F3. I did not want this camera to compete with the F3 I wanted to be able to sell it as a "B" Cam or since all budgets are not created equal it would fit in when there isn't enough money to use the F3. I can provide two options with little to no compromise for the DP. The Zeiss/Sony 24-70 is a really nice lens oddly though I do not see it mentioned in very many posts. I guess with so many different ways to go glass wise it is easily overlooked. Maybe rent one with an alpha to e adapter and see for yourself.

NEX_Zeiss.jpg
 
@dtwdlt
Yes perhaps a zoom like the Zeiss/Sony 24-70 is a good choice (I'll do my homework) since that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I obviously wouldn't want the FS100 to compete with an F3 either (in terms of cost) because otherwise I think I'm better off with two F3's.

By the way, I did get a quick chance to crunch a few numbers last night and I'm leaning towards the following package for my shoot:

Cameras
Sony F3
Sony F100

Lenses
Zeiss ZF's and ZF.2's
which includes:
21mm f/2.8
35mm f/2
50mm f/2 Makro
85mm f/1.4
100 f/2 Makro

Equipped with Redrock Follow Focuses and Genus Matte Boxes


Thoughts? Any advice on good support systems? Most of the time the cameras will be locked off on a tripod but I will need some outside shots for b-roll.
 
eheath said:
Nikon makes amazing glass and EVERY lens they have uses this amazing glass, unlike canon that puts OK glass in most of their lenses then makes you pay more for an L lens.
Click to expand...

Similarly priced lenses are usually very close to one another... Nikon also has cheap lenses.
 
I can send out some love for the Zeiss twins, the 24-70 & the 16-35 - i have them, and am impressed, i use them as variable primes tho - the only reason to use primes is when you need a bit more speed

If was doing a 2 camera shoot with a minimal budget i might go for 2 x 24-70's, a 16-35 & a Nikon 70-200... everything is t2.8, chances are that the 24-70's would mainly live on the camera's for drama

One note, they are heavy enough that i always use rails and support, i have short (4") rails for when i don't need FF & matte box

And i have not had any issues matching F3 and FS - with the F3 in Slog, and the FS using AB's "CineStyle" profile.... they are not the same, but they did cut with a bit of work.. and the scene did not have any extremely high contrast inherant.. night interiors

F3 was using CP2's, FS had the Zeiss twins, in this case mainly the short zoom

d
 
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How do the Zeiss zoomes work with the LA-EA1? Any issues with the adapter and the weight? Does it need a lens support on the rails?

Keep changing my mind between the sony zeiss zoom route and the nikon zf2 route.
 
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